Interesting posts, weekend of 1/24/10

01/24/2010 at 9:28 pm | Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment
Tags: blogging, Feminism, news

Dear internet, I feel used and under-appreciated this week. Family stuff. I’ll never be able to call the favors in.

P.S. – this is Feminists with FSD’s 101st post! We’ve broken 3 digits. I know that not all of those posts have been about feminism as it relates to FSD buuut… man I knew there was enough material out there to support a whole blog based around that premise!

Friendly reminder: I am looking for Guest Posters. I want to hear more perspectives on the themes dealt with here at Feminists with Female Sexual Dysfunction. Because I am dealing with such a sensitive topic, I don’t think I can actively recruit new posters, since if I went onto someone else’s blog and said something like, “Hey u wanna write a post about your sexual health and/or feminism on a public forum?!” that would probably be very invasive. For this reason, Guest Posters requesting to remain anonymous will also be taken seriously.
At this time, criteria for inclusion is, “If you think you would fit in here, you probably would.” This may be subject to change but for now we’ll try that & see how it goes.
In an attempt to preemptively fight spam and rude comments, this blog’s email is private. Please leave a comment on this post if you want to write something. I’ll screen comments so you can remain anonymous if you want. That way I’ll have your email and we can collaborate.
Have something you’ve been working on? Send it my way.
Comments made by new e-mail addresses here are auto-screened before going live, so if you want to stay anon use an e-mail address that you haven’t used here before.

Now then, on with the weekly blog link roundup. Posts I found interesting for one reason or another over the last week. Share links if’n you got’em.

Edit: Oop, almost forgot about one that MomTFH showed me – in vulvodynia related news, we have something about Decision making trees featuring the founder of CureTogether. Careful as you read though; the comments after the article are full of ice bergs.

There was a report released recently that examined attitudes of men who bought services from sex workers, and a couple of bloggers had thoughts on that report. Education, Education, Education – and decriminalisation – This one is kind of long; Snowdrop Explodes noted who the researchers are & how their background probably influenced the conclusions the report drew… and then he has his own conclusion at the very end which you can probably guess just from looking at the post title. There’s more here from good girls don’t, Rapeability, harm, and “listening” to men who buy sex

The 12th Carnival of Feminists – Review Edition! – Blog carnival consisting of feminist-related reviews. I submitted a review to this one but didn’t get in 😦 Oh well maybe next time. Anyway, links to reviews.
Speaking of carnivals, we also have Call for Submissions: The 13th Carnival of Feminists – Chally’s gonna be hosting the next one so send your stuff her way.
But wait, there’s more! Call for Submissions is out for Disability Blog Carnival #63: Relationships – Another carnival looking for submissions.

There was an article included in Rolling Stone about John Mayer. It included Mayer’s thoughts on his own masturbation habits. These thoughts were covered at Shakesville in The Wanker King (Literally) and the Dodson & Ross blog, in Quote of the Day: John Mayer. Same exact topic, same exact line from the article, getting two very different receptions. And actually, this time I’m on the Dodson & Ross blog’s side (gasp!) – because Melissa (and some commenters) demonized masturbation in and of itself – at least when Mayer does it. No, don’t do that, it’s not cool. There’s enough fodder to criticize Mayer for other things besides that.
On the other hand, Renee also covered the John Mayer article and completely left out the bit about masturbating, so now for something completely different: Douche Alert, Rolling Stone Chats with John Mayer – Okay, you know what, that’s… better.

Now that said, let’s move on to another Shakesville post, the topic of which got coverage at multiple blogs. The following posts relate to A Big Deal, especially if you live in the US sooo… if you live in the US & even if you’re just passin’ by this post, I strongly suggest you stop passing by & click the following links. This is Very Bad News – indeed… the Supreme Court of the US made a ruling which, in the name of free speech, will allow corporations & unions & other organizations to pay for political advertisements. Wooahh… This is going to favor larger organizations, for example, big corporations. You call that “Free speech?!” Dems React to SCOTUS Decision, trying to set up limits asap. Democracy, it was fun while it lasted – part mourning, part link roundup. There goes America’s democracy: I never thought I would be living in a dystopian cyberpunk novel! – includes videos & quotes.
Now I’ve seen some terms floating around these posts like, “Corporatoracy,” and you may be thinking what that might look like in real life? Anybody here besides me ever play Final Fantasy 7? If so, do you remember ShinRa? Did you notice how it was both a power company AND the government, complete with a military? Or, if you’re not into video games, did you see Wall-E? If you did, you may recall that B&L corp was big enough so that it became a caretaker for the people in space – and, with that kind of power, it was the government. Do you remember that scene where the Axiom captain watches the video the former president of B&L made, saying to initiate directive A113? Did you see the background? B&L WAS a corporatocracy.
For you see the answers to all life’s great questions can be found in science fiction… actually they can also be found in Wikipedia… And unfortunately, in real life we won’t have all the other fun stuff of science fiction like friendly clean-up robots and super-soldiers and slaying monsters etc… it’s going to be a lot more real and un-fun, to say the least.

January 22nd Blog for Choice day, and the theme was “Trust women,” a motto found on a button worn by Dr. George Tiller. I much prefer the more cynical looks at this motto, because a lot of the time? No, I don’t think folks do trust women. Even if they say they do. Even women don’t trust other women. Even within the feminist blogosphere. So here’s some more critical looks at the phrase. Blogging for Choice: On Trusting (and Not Trusting) Women – trust women to make mistakes. Do you REALLY trust women? – because sometime folks embrace views that really don’t. January 22: It’s Blog for Choice Day – Enjoy It While You Still Can – Ouch, Figleaf sounds mad… this isn’t really about reproductive rights at all, this is more about going out to vote in elections. Blog for Choice Day: “Choice” as a Feminist Idol – this one required an edit to make it more clear, it’s like… “Choice” alone has been too short-sighted.

Monday the 18th was Martin Luther King Jr. day in the US, and there were a number of posts about him & his work. I’m just linking to one that might’ve gotten overlooked, which is a collection of quotes. Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Enabling abuse in online communities: How many voices have been silenced? – I’ve seen this bullying phenomenon happen on online forums I’ve been a part of – sometimes it’s been propagated by the moderators & admins!

Reasons I Laughed Out Loud, Offending Several Fellow Patrons, During The Major Motion Picture “Avatar.” – Sady watched the movie and found it funny for all the wrong reasons. Reasons including, “Avatar really did look like a Lisa Frank binder had sex with a mid-’80s sci-fi paperback cover and their baby threw up on your face, which was great.” Well that sounds… great. Lovely. …Hey whatever happened to Lisa Frank anyway, does she still make vivid school supplies for kids?

FOF: Fear of Feminism – Echidne’s reluctance to come out as openly feminist – it was risky because other groups that have a lot of power fear feminism too, & there’s a risk of reprisal from them. This post doesn’t speak to me personally though… I’ve been out as openly feminist, like, at work for example, for awhile now & it’s been working out surprisingly well.

The Bigger The Dick… – Uh oh, one of those posts from the Dodson & Ross blog that I have to pick on. Because it’s got this line in it:

So funny. Months ago my gynecologist told me I had a very small vagina. She knew her poking and prodding was uncomfortable. I was relaxed, sure, but every touch down there was rather sensitive. She even made a comment that sex might be painful for me sometimes. I had the twisted thought that it’s like that for everyone. But, that’s not true, is it?

And I’m like,… Ffffffffffffffor some of us it is!!!!! That gyn doesn’t sound too good, either. I’m not seeing what’s funny about being told you have a small vagina and that sex may hurt you especially considering that some folks really go through that. I, I don’t get it, where’s the joke here?

The Economist Debates: Women – There was an article with a really obnoxious premise posted at The Economist. Jill re-posted Terry O’Neil’s thoughts on why it’s obnoxious.

Paul Scott Targets Trans People In Race for Secretary of State – What is the point of this?? Oh right, fear mongering & transphobia, possibly to get votes… by playing on stigma…

SEXIST BEATDOWN: You Darn (Feminist) Kids Keep It Down Over There Edition – Sady & Amanda’s take on a disagreement between feminists re: accessibility – meaning, how accessible something is to read? Because Jessica Valenti has been singled out as being somehow too accessible vs. old school feminism. That’s not necessarily a bad thing!

Sex Workshops Can Be For Everyone – you mean it? I’m actually very interested in attending one of these workshops one day. There’s none around where I live now though. Maybe later.

I’m sure there’s more…